peopleMary Poss
Professor in Biology and in Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
Email: mposs@bx.psu.edu
Phone: 814-867-1213
Fax: 814-865-9131
Office: 618 Mueller Lab
Research
I study molecular mechanisms of virus and host adaptation at scales that span protein structure to population dynamics. A fundamental interest is in processes that promote or prevent virus infections in a new host species. We have ongoing research projects in the following areas.
- Viruses as rapidly evolving markers of host population dynamics
- Emerging virus infections
- Viruses and innate immunity
- Pathogen interactions in coinfections
- Consequences of viral evolution to function and structure of viral proteins
Viruses as rapidly evolving markers of host population dynamics
We use rapidly evolving virus genes as markers to study recent changes in host population demographics. This approach has application to species conservation and to the ecology of infections in natural host populations.
Emerging virus infections
Newly recognized diseases in humans and animals often arise from infections with viruses that naturally reside in a different host species. We use the molecular biology and evolution of the virus as an indicator of the different selective environments within the reservoir and the new host species. Our research addresses dynamics of viruses and hosts at the level of populations and within individual hosts.
Viruses and innate immunity
Our work on cross-species lentivirus infections emphasized the primary role of innate immunity to infection outcome. We are using an in vitro system to examine the spatial and temporal dynamics of cell-specific innate responses to initial infection by different viruses and consequences to virus establishment and spread.
Pathogen interactions in coinfections
Coinfections with multiple parasites are a common phenomenon but the effect of coinfecting species on the course of infection for either parasite is often not investigated. We are studying the molecular mechanisms of disease attenuation that occurs during coinfection with virulent and apathogenic distantly related feline lentiviruses. We are also investigating whether dynamics of nematodes and viruses in co-infections are mediated by host immune response.
Consequences of viral evolution to function and structure of viral proteins
The viral polymerase dictates both the rate and type of substitution that occur during the virus replication cycle. Our data on the molecular genetics of feline lentiviruses during infection of the natural hosts suggest that these fundamental functional properties of feline lentiviral polymerases may differ. We are using biochemical and biophysical approaches to determine how evolutionary history of virus and host has shaped the structure and function of feline lentivirus reverse transcriptases.